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Agoopia's avatar
Agoopia
Copper Contributor
Oct 21, 2024

How to move recovery partition on Windows server?

I've encountered a situation where I need to reallocate disk space for better organization and performance, and the recovery partition is currently occupying a significant amount of disk space that I would like to adjust. I want to ensure that the recovery partition remains functional after the move, as it is crucial for system recovery and troubleshooting purposes.

 

Could anyone provide guidance on safely moving recovery partition on Windows server? I'm particularly interested in tools or methods that can be used to perform this task without risking data loss or system integrity.

 

Thank you in advance for your help!

5 Replies

  • Vaentina's avatar
    Vaentina
    Iron Contributor
    When you move recovery partition in Windows server can be made smaller if it contains old recovery images. Depending on your recovery process, you may want to explore options to clean it up using Disk Cleanup or similar tools before moving it. Always proceed carefully, especially when using third-party tools. Sudden interruptions (like power loss) during the partitioning process can lead to data corruption
  • Camilany's avatar
    Camilany
    Copper Contributor

    When you move recovery partition on Windows server shifting partitions around can mess with your boot settings. If you experience any boot issues:

     

    • Restart the server and enter the BIOS/UEFI setup.
    • Make sure that the boot order is still correct; Windows needs to know where to look for the recovery partition.

    You don’t want to end up in a situation where your recovery partition is out of whack. Boot into recovery mode to test it. You can typically get to this by either using the recovery options in Windows or booting with installation media.

  • Noahine's avatar
    Noahine
    Copper Contributor

    Before you move recovery partition on Windows server, back up your data. Seriously, if something goes wrong, you don’t want to lose important files or settings. Use Windows Server Backup or any trusted backup software. Just get that peace of mind before messing around with partitions.

    Fire up Disk Management:

    • Right-click on the Start button and choose Disk Management.
    • Take a good look at your partition layout. Identify where your recovery partition is, its size, and the other partitions around it.

    You want to know how everything is currently set up so you don’t end up with a crazy disk arrangement later.

    If you need to move the recovery partition, you might need to clear up some space first. If another partition is hogging too much space, you can shrink it.

    • Right-click on the partition you want to reduce (like your main data partition).
    • Select Shrink Volume.
    • Decide how much space you want to free up for the recovery partition. Make sure you leave enough space for those files!
  • S-sofia's avatar
    S-sofia
    Copper Contributor

    Moving the recovery partition on Windows server might affect how your server boots up. Make sure you’re ready for this and know how to adjust the boot order in BIOS/UEFI if necessary. After moving the recovery partition, double-check that Windows can still find everything it needs. If you encounter boot errors, you might need to use recovery tools (like Windows PE or installation media) to fix things.

  • wsophia's avatar
    wsophia
    Iron Contributor
    Before moving recovery partition on Windows server, check its properties. Sometimes, those partitions may have attributes or flags that prevent them from being moved. You can use commands in PowerShell to check and change those settings if needed, but only if you're comfortable with it.

    When you eventually move a partition, pay attention to disk alignment. If the new partition becomes misaligned, it can seriously affect performance—especially if it’s an SSD! Make sure the destination location has the right alignment settings, and take a look at the NTFS structure as well.

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